Hola, welcome to our La Manga travel guide! It’s a unique destination in southern Spain, loved by people looking for sun, sea, and fun. Here, you’ll find the tranquil waters of Mar Menor lagoon on one side and the mighty Mediterranean Sea on the other, along with beautiful sandy beaches, stunning coastal views, and many watersports opportunities. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect place for a relaxing getaway? We certainly think so! Stay with us and discover everything you need to know for unforgettable holidays in La Manga, Spain!
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Our travel video from La Manga
About La Manga
La Manga del Mar Menor, or just La Manga, is located in the Region of Murcia in southern Spain and is divided into two municipalities – Cartagena and San Javier. It’s a narrow piece of land, a spit, that separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Mar Menor Lagoon. La Manga stretches for approximately 22km and has a width that varies between 200m and 1.5km. It’s cut through by natural channels, so-called “golas”, that keeps water on both sides in contact with each other.
The most dreadful fact about La Manga is that it was a natural and virgin area until the 1960s. It was back then when development plans to enhance region tourism appeared, construction started, and the area underwent an unnecessary transformation. Today, La Manga is completely urbanized and is considered one of the most renowned tourist destinations in the Region of Murcia for sun, beach, relaxation, and watersports.
La Manga offers beautiful sandy beaches and stunning views on both sides. It’s a place where you can choose if you want to take a dip into calm Mar Menor Lagoon waters or the little mightier Mediterranean Sea.
What is Mar Menor Lagoon?
Mar Menor is the largest saltwater lagoon in Europe, sometimes called the Spanish Dead Sea. La Manga strip separates it from the Mediterranean Sea. Mar Menor covers an area of 135km², has a coastal length of 70km and its maximum depth is 7m. The lagoon’s waters are crystal clear with perfect transparency and much warmer than the Mediterranean Sea.
Along its shores, you’ll find many sandy beaches. In some places, it’s even possible to go about 50m from the shores and still only be standing waist-deep in the water! Mar Menor Lagoon is a paradise for water sports lovers looking for calmer waters.
Things to do in La Manga, Spain
Visit Cabo de Palos lighthouse
Cabo de Palos is a small village and a nature reserve located right at the entrance to La Manga. The area is most famous for its 51m high lighthouse, Faro Cabo de Palos, which came into service in 1865 and can be seen from almost 40km!
While near the lighthouse, take a stroll among its areas and admire the view overLa Manga from the Mediterranean side. Cabo de Palos is also a popular place for swimming and scuba diving, as it’s dotted with reefs, small coves, and sunken boats.
Visit Veneziola area
At the very end of La Manga, you’ll find Veneziola, a very peculiar area with a network of canals, a Venetian bridge, a large islet in the center, and residential buildings. It was designed to look like a small Venice, hence the name. The most interesting thing there is the Steep Bridge, built in 1978 and resembling the style of bridges in Venice.
Also, if you’re looking for a more peaceful place for your holidays in La Manga, without huge crowds, you should check out this area. This is where we lived and despite some downsides, we really appreciated quiet times on Veneziola Beach.
Relax on La Manga Beaches
Heading to one of many beaches is definitely one of the best things to do in La Manga. For peaceful crystal clear waters, choose Mar Menor side. For more dramatic scenery and higher waves head to the Mediterranean side. Amenities depend on the beach, some of them are fully prepared, and on some, you’ll only find showers. We became huge fans of the lagoon side, mostly because it reminded us of wonderful times around Lake Geneva in France.
Some of the best La Manga del Mar Menor beaches include Playa Veneziola, Playa del Barco Perdido, Playa de Marchamalo, Playa de Cavanna, Cala del Pino, Playa Ensenada del Esparto, Playa del Estacio and Playa del Pedrucho.
Practice watersports
Both sides of La Manga are a paradise for watersports lovers. The Mar Menor side offers calm and shallow waters perfect for beginners, while the Mediterranean side offers higher waves and more extreme conditions. Paddleboarding, kayaking, kitesurfing, windsurfing, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, and more… Choice is really wide, and surely everyone will find something for themselves.
You can also rent a boat or a jet ski, or go on one of many offered boat trips. It’s a great chance to admire La Manga from another angle and get closer to volcanic islands.
Admire Islands of La Manga
From La Manga shores you can admire some islands of volcanic origin that have been named as protected areas due to their ecological value. Five islands are located in Mar Menor (Isla del Baron, Isla Perdiguera, Isla del Ciervo, Isla del Sujeto, and Isla Redonda or Rondela), and a few more on the Mediterranean side (Isla Grosa, Farallon Islet, and Islas Hormigas). Unfortunately, it’s not possible to visit them due to the protection of its ecosystem. Although it’s possible to go on a boat trip which will take you closer to them, or scuba dive in the area!
Take day trips from La Manga
Are you hungry for some cool day trips from La Manga? We got you! Here are some suggestions, all within 1.5h drive by car.
- Cartagena is located about 30km from La Manga. Here, you’ll find countless Roman ruins, including a spectacular 1st-century B.C. Roman Theater, Casa de la Fortuna – villa with murals and mosaics, or Punic Wall – an interpretation center that houses the remains of a 3rd-century B.C. defensive wall.
- Alicante is located about 130km from La Manga. From charming old town streets, amazing Santa Cruz District, hilltop castle, and unique Mushroom Street to many cultural attractions, vivid nightlife, and great beaches – Alicante has something for everyone.
- Calblanque Regional Park is located only about 7km from La Manga. If you wish to spend some time in nature – this is the place. Fossil dunes, sandy beaches, hidden bays, cliffs… It’s a perfect place for sunbathing in tranquil surroundings.
- Bateria de Castillitos is located about 60km from La Manga. It’s a unique-looking anti-navy military battery built in the 1930s. It looks more like a fairytale castle than a mighty military base. Bateria de Castillitos isn’t very easy to get, and the road is a little bumpy, narrow, and stressful but without a doubt it’s very rewarding!
- Murcia is located about 70km from La Manga. It’s a big city that offers more of a small-town vibes, so it’s a great option if you wanna escape crowds. There you’ll find many lovely streets and squares, impressive Catedral and Palacio Episcopal, some interesting street art, and delicious cuisine.
How to get to La Manga, Spain?
La Manga is located about 70km from Murcia City, 130km from Alicante, and 30km from Cartagena. The most convenient way to get to La Manga is by car or by bus.
Where to park in La Manga?
If you’re traveling by car you can choose from many parking spaces available in different places along La Manga. If memory serves us right, they were all free, but we can only imagine how hard it is to find a spot during high season. Your best option is to stay in a place with a dedicated parking spot.
Airports near La Manga
The closest airport to La Manga is located in Murcia, about 55km away. The next one is located in Alicante, about 120km away. Both airports offer bus connections to La Manga. To learn more about connections that might interest you visit rome2rio.com website.
To La Manga by public transport
You can reach La Manga by bus. For example, a trip from Cartagena will take about 1 hour, and also 1 hour from Murcia. To learn more about bus connections that might interest you visit rome2rio.com website.
Unfortunately, there is no train station in La Manga. The closest one is located in Cartagena, about 30km away, and from there you can take a bus or taxi to La Manga.
La Manga camping
If you’re traveling by camper, Camping Caravaning Capfun La Manga might interest you most as it’s located right at the entrance to La Manga. Camping Mar Menor is located near San Pedro del Pinatar town. During our stay in the area, we spotted many wild-standing vans, especially in the Veneziola area.
Explore local attractions
La Manga Travel Guide – Summing up & our opinion
As you can see now, La Manga and the whole Mar Menor lagoon area is a great spot for a typical summer beach holidays. Beautiful beaches, blue waters, and some places for day trips for more active tourists. What more could you want?
As for us, we lived in La Manga for 6 weeks in the Veneziola area. We liked and hated it at the same time. What did we like? Quiet area, no crowds, peaceful beaches, relaxing walks, and beautiful views. What we didn’t like? The fact that to escape La Manga we had to drive for 30 minutes, and the same to go back to the apartment – always felt like 1 hour wasted!
So here’s our tip for you: if you like sightseeing and going on trips – don’t choose the very end of La Manga. If you’re looking for a fairly peaceful area for holidays and don’t plan to travel too much – don’t hesitate and look for an apartment there.
Restaurants, accommodations, and map
Check out various recommended places below.
Where to eat in La Manga?
Here are your best, high-rated options in La Manga:
